By Adenike Lawal
Agricultural stakeholders have called on the Nigerian government to prioritize farmer security and address systemic challenges in the sector to achieve food security by 2025.
This appeal was made during the 16th National Agricultural Show (NAS) in Tudun Wada, Nasarawa.
Themed “Incentivising Smallholder Farmers to Scale for the Attainment of Food Security,” the event brought together key players, including the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN), farmers’ associations, research institutes, and agribusiness groups.
Stakeholders identified insecurity, high input costs, poor mechanization, transportation bottlenecks, policy failures, and post-harvest losses as major hurdles impeding agricultural progress.
Arch. Kabir Ibrahim, Chairman of NAFN’s Board of Trustees and President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), warned that insecurity remains the greatest threat to food security, compounded by climate change.
“Without regional staple food production, improved storage, and reduced post-harvest losses, achieving food security will remain elusive,” Ibrahim said, urging the government to foster an enabling environment for smallholder farmers.
He also emphasized the need to leverage science, technology, and innovation to transform Nigeria’s food systems.
The show underscored the urgent need for coordinated action to secure the future of Nigeria’s agriculture and ensure sustainable food production.
